Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Section 39 health workers provide an invaluable service to the State. There is an issue with regard to the fact that they do not get equal pay. We have a situation whereby a strike is going to happen in this sector imminently. That is going have a devastating effect on the health service. I also refer to the deadline for the announcement regarding the provision of home care services and the tender process in this regard. There does not seem to be any urgency with regard to the way the Department is treating this matter. People working in the healthcare services are being robbed by the HSE. There has been no increase in capacity in the sector. All we are doing is robbing Peter to pay Paul. Unless we get matters right in the context of equal pay, we will end up with major services being cut.

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